Swing
by UnspeakableSky
Summary: Harry has a dream about dancing, and can't recall the person who he is dancing with. For a little while, he is able to forget all of his troubles.


Harry was certain he was dreaming. There were people dancing wildly in the middle of the room. They swung each other around faster and faster and their feet moved to the beat in a way that had Harry's mouth hanging open and his lips turned up in a smile.

He would never willingly go to a place like this especially a place where the dress code was so old-fashioned. He felt like he was playing dress up as he looked at himself in the mirror. The people around him looked happy and comfortable in their attire. Like they had just walked out of an old black and white movie ready to dance perfectly along with any music and pretend that there are no troubles to be found in the world.

Harry almost wanted to pretend along with them, except he had no idea how to dance. His embarrassment at the Yule Ball several years ago showed him that.

As one song faded out and another began, Harry laughed as he saw a man pick up a woman with a look of complete surprise on her face and started to swing her around. Her face quickly turned to a look of joy as she took his hand and began to sway along to the music.

In the crowd, there were faces that Harry swore that he could recognize, but just could not place a name to their face. It made him feel more comfortable knowing that he could recognize them at least a little, and he began to relax. He started to enjoy himself more, smiling at the crowd who seemed to be entranced by the music, and clapping along to the music with the other bystanders.

Soon, Harry found himself just as absorbed into the joy the dancing and the music brought just as much as everyone else. He smiled and laughed freely which was something that he had not been able to do in a very long time.

"Dance with me?" A familiar voice asked him. Harry looked up and saw a tall, handsome man with dark hair and even darker eyes looking down at him. The man's name was on the tip of his tongue, but Harry just couldn't seem to remember.

"Me? Are you mad? I'll trip over my own feet just walking out there. I think I'll pass," He replied with a laugh. "But if you really want to, I am sure there are others here who are just dying for a chance to get out on the floor."

The man rolled his eyes. "But I didn't ask any of them, I asked you. Come on," the man said with a grin and grabbed Harry's hand. "It's not so hard once you get the hang of it. Just follow my lead." He pulled Harry along onto the dance floor, just as the previous song was ending.

Nervously, Harry let the man guide his hands so that they rested on his shoulders, and tensed up as soon as he felt the man's hands on his waist.

"Relax. It's supposed to be fun," The man smiled down at him and Harry could not help but smile back.

The music started and Harry was grateful that the man seemed to be taking it easy on him. His steps were slow and easy to follow. The hands on his waist guided him backward and around the other dancers on the floor. Harry eyed them nervously but with a nudge from the man and a reassuring look, he began to focus more on just the two of them. "Don't worry, I won't let you trip. Just trust me," the man said.

With those words, the man took Harry's hand in his and spun him around then took his other hand so that they were facing each other. "See, that wasn't so bad, was it? Now let's try something else," The man grinned.

That was the only warning Harry received before he was spun around again, faster this time, and Harry found himself almost being thrown into the crowd were it not for the single hand gripped tight against his. It did not stop there, twice more he was spun around like that before returning to face the man.

"See? You are a natural," The man praised as Harry just looked up at him with a stunned expression on his face.

Again, Harry had no time to answer, as the man spun him around so that Harry was facing the audience and his back was nearly against the man's chest. "Just have fun, Harry. There is no one here that can hurt you." The man told him.

It was like magic the way Harry changed. A smile formed on his face, and the same carefree attitude he had when he was only watching returned. It was like he had practiced the steps to the dance a thousand times. They moved their feet to the music just like everyone else and Harry found himself finally letting go of whatever it was that was holding himself back.

The smile on his face and the light in his eyes seemed to make the room become even brighter than it was before. He laughed and danced freely as the two of them made their way around the dance floor. He was spun, tossed, and held in a way that he could never imagine himself doing while he was awake.

When the music finally ended, Harry did not want to stop. Song after song the two of them danced together until Harry was so tired and sore that he thought his legs would fall off.

"Had enough," The man asked with a smirk.

"No," Harry grinned back. He did not want to stop, but it looked like his body was making him. "But if I don't I think my legs might collapse under me in a moment."

With a nod, the man led them to an empty table in the back of the room. The could no longer see the dancers as the crowd blocked the view of the floor, but they were provided with privacy in return.

"Thank you," Harry told him. "I haven't had that much fun in a long time." The reason why alluded him for the moment, but he did not want to try and find out in case the joy he felt at the moment disappeared.

"I know, that is why I invited you here. I didn't actually think you would come. You did not give me much to work with, you know and I found it hard to believe you would be into something like this anyway," The man sighed. "But it turns out that you are easy to please."

"You invited me? Aren't I asleep," Harry asked. Just then, a loud train horn sounded over the music and the people around him groaned with disappointment.

"Yes, it gets rather boring here and I was promised better accommodations if I helped you. You seemed rather down and this was the only thing I could come up with. I'm glad I am not out of practice. It seems my charm has not been destroyed along with the rest of me."

"What is your name?" Harry asked finally. Curiosity getting the better of him. "You look so familiar..." The room faded and was transformed into a hauntingly familiar place. The train horn sounded again and Harry was suddenly sitting on a bench at the Kings Cross where he had found Dumbledore and the small piece of Voldemort's soul that was inside of him.

A look of sadness came over the man. "Harry, I'm hurt. I thought you of all people would be the first to recognize me. Although, I don't think I've looked this good in a long time. Death does not suit me very much. But that is why I tried to avoid it in the first place."

Harry suddenly remembered why he had been so upset. He was about to respond when Tom Riddle told him with a grin. "You should come and visit me sometime, Harry. It gets rather lonely here, you know."

With a last sound from the train, Harry jolted awake. He had been sleeping in a chair at the Burrow and the Daily Prophet rested on his lap. The sound of an old black and white movie played in front of him. The dancers looked exactly like the ones in his dream.

Harry picked up the paper and placed it on the table next to him. The headline read "Third Anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts Today".

"Harry, are you ready to go," Ginny asked him as she walked down the stairs all dressed in black. "Mum got the flowers for Fred, and Ron finally got George to come out of his room. We are leaving as soon as Hermione is done getting dressed."

Harry sighed, and with one last look at the old TV, followed Ginny out the door. Tom Riddle's words still echoing in his head.


End file.
